Publised September 17th, 2026 by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Cozy Mystery
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jane Austen is preparing for the summer season.
As guests of their wealthy relatives Mr and Mrs Leigh-Perrot, Jane and her sister Cassandra will be holidaying in Bath Spa – the world-famous health resort, and more importantly, the epicentre of the marriage mart.
For many, the summer will be spent hunting husbands. But for Jane, when a series of murders breaks out across the city, she must chase down a killer instead.
With her beloved sister by her side, Jane is determined to bring the murderer to justice. Can she stop this villain from taking any more victims, before the summer ends? Or will her only dance of the season be with death…
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MY REVIEW:
October 1799. Jane and her sister Cassandra are staying with their wealthy aunt and uncle in Bath Spa – a place famous for healing health and the epicentre of the marriage mart. But Jane isn’t interested in either of those things. She is here to try and forge links to the literary world. However, things soon take a very different turn when her aunt is accused of theft and a gentleman’s body is pulled from the River Avon. There is a mystery waiting to be solved and Jane and Cassandra are on the case. Soon, they find links between the two cases and a mysterious man named Mr. Rex who is trying to blackmail them. Who is Mr. Rex? And how did he discover their secrets? Can they find him and stop him before he claims another victim?
Charming, witty and uplifting, we’re back with another delightful whodunnit featuring amateur detective Jane Austen. Exquisitely written, cleverly crafted and richly imagined, Jessica Bull transports us back in time and immerses us in Jane’s world, where there always seems to be a new mystery that needs to be solved. In this installment there are a number of different investigations at first, but it soon becomes clear there are links between them. The cases are cryptic and complex, with many threads to unravel and a multitude of suspects, but our intrepid heroine doesn’t give up and eventually puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Jane is a fabulous protagonist. Intelligent and feisty, she knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. I love how she rallies against societal norms, pursuing a career in literature instead of settling down and finding a husband. One of my favourite things about this series is Jane’s bonds with her siblings, particularly the close bond between Jane and her elder sister, Cassandra, who often helps Jane in her investigations. In this book their bond seems closer than ever and I loved watching them work together. They are very different, but those differences compliment one another and help them as they try to solve a case.
So if you’re looking for a cosy mystery that is also an absolute riot, this is the book for you.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
Thanks to Vic at Insta Book Tours for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jessica Bull lives in South East London with her husband and two daughters. A former librarian and communications consultant, she studied English literature at Bristol University and information science at City, University of London. Miss Austen Investigates, her debut novel, was published in 2024. Pride, Prejudice and Peril is her fourth book.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx
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